Ignorance is Bliss
by CrazyForCas
Summary: In the end would it be better for Elena not to remember the Salvatore brothers?


**I do not own anything associated with The Vampire Diaries. But the people who do are genius. **

**Disclaimers: 1. This was thought of and written pretty quickly so I apologize for mistakes. 2. I know there would be plot holes but I had to write it and figured I might as well post it. 3. This is written on the assumption that the show has progressed well beyond where it is now. 4. This is NOT how I want things to transpire AT ALL! I would cry for weeks if this happened!**

**Feel free to review! Thanks!**

Damon looked at Stefan. There was so much pain in his eyes. Stefan looked away, he was dealing with his own pain at the moment.

"I -" Damon paused, swallowed and continued "I can't do this."

Stefan turned to face him. "You have to. I can't and you know it has to be done. She doesn't deserve this life. She deserves better. She deserves normal."

"It's Elena." Damon said, his eyes showing his emotion so easily as always. "She'd see that as a violation. I can't do that, not to her."

"Would you rather she have to carry everything that's happened, since we showed up in her life, with her forever? That's a lot of hurt, Damon." Stefan explained. "I would do it myself but you know I can't."

"She would hate me." Damon said.

"She won't even know you." Stefan pleaded.

Damon ached "If she ever found out she would never forgive me."

Stefan stepped closer to Damon and placed his hands on his arms. "She'll never find out. We'll leave and she'll never know."

Damon stared at the floor for what seemed like forever, composing himself. Finally he sighed. "You have to let me do it alone." He never met Stefan's eyes. "I can't do this with an audience."

Stefan was reluctant to agree but he'd already said his goodbyes. He looked at the floor and slowly nodded his head. When he looked back up Damon was gone.

Elena didn't know who could be at the door at this time of night. She pulled it open. "Damon." He had such a strange look on his face. Sadness? Damon's face was always easy to read.

"Elena, we need to talk." Damon asked.

"Uh, sure, come in." She stepped aside to allow Damon to enter.

Damon looked toward the living room where Jenna and Jeremy were watching TV and then back to Elena. "Alone?"

Elena was confused and worried something was wrong. "Upstairs."

She made her way up the stairs and Damon followed, slowly. He felt awful. This whole feeling thing really sucked. It used to be so much easier. In the good old days he might already be feeding on the girl in front of him. Certainly not in love with her.

Elena shut her bedroom door and looked at Damon. "Damon, what's wrong?"

"I came to say good bye. I'm going with Stefan." Damon said looking at the floor.

"Oh." Elena said. Not only was she losing Stefan but Damon too? She walked to her window and stared outside. When she turned back around Damon was behind her.

"Elena." He began. He slipped his had into her hair and cradled her head. Then he saw the tears that brimmed her eyes. Suddenly one fell free, spilling down her cheek. He caught it with his thumb and swiped it away. "I'm so sorry, Elena."

She didn't say anything she simply leaned into him. He raised his other hand and and held her. While he whispered to her that it would be alright he gently unhooked the silver necklace from around her neck.

When she pulled back he slipped the necklace into his pocket. Holding her head he looked into her eyes. "It'll be alright, Elena. I can fix it for you. I can make it go away."

Elena's brow furrowed as she realized what he was saying. "No." She pulled back. "No, you can't do that." Her hand flew to her throat, looking for the necklace but it was gone.

Damon swallowed, the pain in his eyes intense. He reached into his pocket and pulled the necklace out. "I'm sorry."

More tears flowed down Elena's cheeks. Her eyes were filled with hurt, anger and accusation. She shook her head. "No. No!" She backed away from him until her foot caught on the carpet and she felt herself begin to fall.

In a second Damon was there, catching her, holding her in his arms.

"Let me go!" she yelled at him. She pulled to get out of his grasp but Damon was strong.

"Elena." Damon said, trying to get her to be still. "Elena!" He shook her gently until her eyes, brimming with tears and anger, met his. She didn't hold his gaze long, afraid of what he might do.

Damon looked at her, his own eyes burned. "I didn't want to do this. I told him no but Stefan -"

Elena interrupted him "Stefan? This was Stefan's idea?"

"Yes, and I told him no -" Damon said.

"Good." Elena agreed, almost relieved.

Damon didn't let her say anything else. His voice was so intense "I told him no, but, then I realized that my reasons were selfish and you shouldn't have to live with these things." Elena struggled in his grasp but he held her. "Elena, I can make them go away. I make it all right."

She cried. "No." She fell into him again. "I don't want to forget. I don't want to forget Stefan. I don't want to forget you." she sobbed "I love you. Both of you." She met his gaze. "Damon, please don't do this?"

"Elena." Damon tried to speak but Elena sped on.

"Damon, please?" she begged. "Tell Stefan you did it if you have to. Just please, please don't make me forget you?"

Her eyes held his pleading with him. Suddenly Damon shook his head, breaking their gaze. He cleared his throat. He could barely hold it together himself and her tears and pleading was not helping.

"Damon?" She half squeaked his name. "Please?"

When Damon looked back at her it was with purpose. "Elena?"

Elena met his gaze, her tears subsided as she looked him in the eye.

Damon cleared his throat again. When he spoke it was with authority. "You won't remember me when I leave here. You won't remember Stefan either. You'll remember these past couple years as any other year. Normal. No vampires. No werewolves. No death or danger. Normal high school stuff." Damon swallowed. "You should spend more time with Matt. He's good and he cares about you." He paused, looking into her eyes. He had to leave her with something. "When you see the boarding house or Bela Lugosi you'll smile. They'll leave you with a warm feeling. Ok?" His eyes searched hers.

Elena spoke, still staring into his eyes. "Ok."

"Alright. Now, right now, you're going to go to sleep. You'll dream of mysterious strangers. You'll wake up and you'll tell your friends. It'll be normal. And you won't remember any of this."

"Normal." Elena said.

Damon guided her to her bed. "Here. Lay down." He sat on the edge of the bed and watched as she closed her eyes and fell asleep. He brushed the hair away from her face, letting his hand linger on her cheek. His own tears dropped on her pillow. "I love you, Elena."

**Thanks for reading!**


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